Miss Universe Australia’s Top Tips For Curly Hair

A curly queen and freshly crowned Miss Universe Australia 2023, Moraya Wilson, is here to answer all our burning questions after finishing in third place at the Miss Universe international final in sunny El Salvador. And, of course, when Miss Universe Australia shares her ultimate hair hacks for girls on the go, we listen—especially when it comes to calming curl chaos and bidding farewell to pesky frizz.

Congratulations Moraya! Did you see being crowned Miss Universe Australia 2023 in your future?

“Coming from a sporting background, I had never imagined being crowned Miss Universe Australia. When I applied in January 2023, I thought, why not? I have nothing to lose by applying. Fast forward a few months, and my whole life has changed. The lesson learnt is that you should take every opportunity and never judge yourself for wanting to try something new.”

Can you tell us about your Miss Universe journey?

“The journey felt so fast. From state finals to the international final in El Salvador, it felt like each week that went by, more and more exciting things were happening: Vietnam trip, Melbourne final week, media week, then only a few weeks to get everything organised for Miss Universe. Looking back on the year and the most recent few months, the amount of personal growth I experienced has been so rewarding. It makes me feel so grateful for how much I have achieved.”

What were the most challenging and rewarding moments?

The most challenging moment throughout the whole experience was preparing for the international final. You get out what you put in, so I didn’t want any stone to be left unturned when I flew out to El Salvador. I spent hours every day on interview preparation, runway training, outfit sourcing, learning Spanish, physical training, and organising photoshoots and media videos. In saying that, however, all those sleepless nights and crazy days were part of the journey—it got me to where I am today. All the effort put into the program behind the scenes was rewarded back to me at the international final and beyond.”

We're thrilled you're this year’s Hairhouse, Sexy Hair and Halo Ambassador! Have you added any new haircare or styling products to your routine?

“Thank you! At the moment, I am obsessed with the Sexy Hair Curl Crème! I use it every day after I wet my hair: it helps me reset my curls and dries my hair in a perfect wavy style. I also have loved using the Curious Grace Automatic Hair Curler. It’s so much fun to use and produces the best curl results I’ve ever seen; it looks like I’ve gone to a hairdresser and had a blowout each time I use it."

Did you learn any haircare or styling hacks from fellow contestants or the Hairhouse hair stylists backstage?

“My styling hack is using humidity-resistant hairspray when curling my hair with heat. As my hair is fine, it struggles to hold a curl for more than a few hours, but when using a texturing hairspray, it managed to stay all day and night, even in the rain!”

As someone with gorgeous curly hair, do you have any advice about embracing your natural beauty and hair texture?

“My best advice for my hair is that less is more. When I let my hair do its thing and be the most natural and curly as it wants, the curls sit perfectly, and the frizz goes away. Always use heat protection, like the Sexy Hair Style Protect Me Heat Protection Spray, on your hair as I often find that when I don’t use heat protection my natural curl is damaged and takes a few weeks to get back to its usual curl. Also - moisturise! I condition my hair every day and use leave-in products after every wash. The more hydrated my hair is the better the curls sit naturally when they air dry.”

Many of us with kinks, curls and coils struggle with frizz, dryness or damage. Do you have any tips to keep these concerns at bay?

“My tip for frizz and damage starts with prevention. It’s much easier to prevent the damage than to try and repair it. Limiting heat tools or going through ‘no heat’ months will do wonders in keeping your hair healthy. I always try and do the Sexy Hair Healthy Moisturizing Peach Mask once a week and apply the Sexy Hair Healthy Love Oil every other day to keep the moisture in the ends, especially now we’re in the summer months.”

How do you keep your hair and scalp healthy, and what products are in your wash day rotation to achieve this?

“I love using a scalp massage tool to stimulate blood flow to my scalp when I wash. My favourite hair wash products are the Kerastase Curl Manifesto Shampoo and Conditioner. These products help me restore the hydration in my hair after swimming at the beach or pool this summer."